Surrey County Council are currently consulting over the possible closure of their last six remaining care homes for older people.Please take a minute to sign this online petition set up by Save Our Services in Surrey:http://petitions.surreycc.gov.uk/SaveCareHomes/

Surrey County Council are proposing to close the last six elderly care homes run by them. A Cabinet meeting on 21st October (this Tuesday) will decide to launch a consultation over the closure of the six homes.

A lobby of the council cabinet meeting has been called for 1pm on Tuesday 21st. Meet outside County Hall, Penrhyn Road, Kinsgton KT1 2DN.

Saturday 18th October - Britain Needs a Pay Rise demonstrationLondon from middayMeet at Surrey stations from 10am - 10.30amGuildfordWokingStainesDorkingemail us if you can meet other SOSiS supporters at another station. We can also help with train fares.

Leaders of Local Government Workers in UNISON, Unite and GMB have decided to suspend their strike action, planned for Tuesday next week (14th). They will be consulting members on a revised offer from the employers.

All the other strike actions listed in the previous post are confirmed as going ahead. We have also been asked to include the following from the University and College Union (UCU):

Members of UCU in English colleges will be out on strike on Tuesday 14 October in a row over pay. The results of a member consultation on the 2014/15 pay offer were that 85% of members who participated in the e-ballot voted to reject the 1% pay offer and support strike action in an effort to secure an improved deal.

The Further Education Committee voted in favour of UCU members in colleges in England taking the action on 14 October together with other public sector unions. The Committee also voted to determine dates for further targeted and national strike action when it next meets on 17 October.UCU head of bargaining, Michael MacNeil, said: 'Our members have made it quite clear that they are not prepared to accept another real-terms pay cut. The cost of living continues to rise but pay just isn't matching it.'Our members have seen their pay fall by 15% in real terms since 2009 and have also been hit with higher monthly pension contributions. We will be joining our colleagues in other public sector unions because Britain needs a pay rise.'